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<h1><a href="https://archiveofourown.org/works/29689848">Just Friends</a> by <a class='authorlink' href='https://archiveofourown.org/users/buoyantsaturn/pseuds/buoyantsaturn'>buoyantsaturn</a></h1>

<table class="full">

<tr><td><b>Series:</b></td><td>waiting with you [2]</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Category:</b></td><td>Percy Jackson and the Olympians - Rick Riordan, The Heroes of Olympus - Rick Riordan, The Trials of Apollo - Rick Riordan</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Genre:</b></td><td>M/M, Secret Relationship, Strangers to Lovers, director's cut essentially</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Language:</b></td><td>English</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Status:</b></td><td>Completed</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Published:</b></td><td>2021-02-25</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Updated:</b></td><td>2021-02-25</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Packaged:</b></td><td>2021-05-16 02:07:16</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Rating:</b></td><td>Teen And Up Audiences</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Warnings:</b></td><td>No Archive Warnings Apply</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Chapters:</b></td><td>5</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Words:</b></td><td>5,841</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Publisher:</b></td><td>archiveofourown.org</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Story URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/works/29689848</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Author URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/users/buoyantsaturn/pseuds/buoyantsaturn</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Summary:</b></td><td><div class="userstuff">
              <p>a compilation of bonus scenes from my fic Waiting With You, in which nico and will are "just friends"</p>
            </div></td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Relationships:</b></td><td>Nico di Angelo/Will Solace</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Series:</b></td><td>waiting with you [2]</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Series URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/series/2181858</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Comments:</b></td><td>12</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Kudos:</b></td><td>41</td></tr>

</table>

<a name="section0001"><h2>1. Chapter 1</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_head_notes"><b>Author's Note:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
      <p>this is like. if this fic was a 5+1 except these 5 chapters are five times nico and will were just friends and then waiting with you is like the one time they werent. u get me. anyway its late and ive been writing these bad boys all day lmao so here u go ig</p><p>chapter one: takes place immediately after the engagement party</p>
    </blockquote></div><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>
  <span>He let Will head back inside without him, needing a moment to himself to relax his racing heart. </span>
  <em>
    <span>Finally,</span>
  </em>
  <span> he met someone he actually liked, and who even liked him </span>
  <em>
    <span>back,</span>
  </em>
  <span> and they met at probably the worst possible time. Nico almost didn’t want to go back inside, since it would no doubt mean making small talk with people that Jason and Piper knew but that Nico had never met.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>He took out his phone with the intention of texting Jason with some excuse for why he was ditching the party - really, a text like that wouldn’t have come off as a surprise to Jason at all, considering how many he’d gotten over the last few years - but he found a handful of unread texts instead. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>One from his sister, Hazel, who was somewhere inside and probably didn’t know anybody there aside from Jason. Nico winced when he realized that he’d left her alone for so long, but Hazel had always been more social than he was, so he figured she was mostly fine. Her text was the most recent, and it said, </span>
  <em>
    <span>Did you leave without me?</span>
  </em>
  
</p>
<p>
  <span>A few from Jason, most asking where he went off to, and one that said, </span>
  <em>
    <span>Piper wanted to announce you and Will as our best men, but we can’t do that when you’re both missing.</span>
  </em>
</p>
<p>
  <span>The last was a group chat notification from just over an hour ago, letting him know that Piper had added him to a group named </span>
  <em>
    <span>Wedding Planners</span>
  </em>
  <span> that had three other people in it. Jason and Piper were already in Nico’s contacts, and while the last number was unknown, Nico’s heart leapt when he realized it had to be Will’s. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Nico stuffed his phone back into his pocket and forced himself to his feet, turning toward the building to head back inside. Maybe if he apologized for ditching in person, then Jason wouldn’t be mad if he skipped out on helping to clean up. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>When he got back into the apartment, though, Nico saw that it had almost completely emptied out. He caught Hazel walking through the living room with a trash bag, picking up abandoned plates and cups as she helped clean. She leveled a glare at him when he approached.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Where have you been?” she demanded, and Nico winced.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Sorry, I just went outside to get some air,” he lied. “Is the party over already?”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <em>
    <span>“Already?”</span>
  </em>
  <span> she repeated. “You disappeared for, like, two hours, Neeks. You better go apologize to Jason and Piper. They had this whole big thing planned to announce you as Jason’s best man.”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Had he and Will really been gone for two hours? It hadn’t even felt half that long. “Yeah, I know. I just saw Jason’s text. I’m sorry, Hazel, I didn’t mean to ditch you. You didn’t have to hang around without me.” </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Trust me, I was </span>
  <em>
    <span>this</span>
  </em>
  <span> close to leaving,” she told him, her fingers pinched so close together that Nico didn’t think there was actually any space between them. “I was about to get an Uber when Piper’s best guy or whatever she’s calling him appeared out of the blue and told me that he saw you outside. You know, I came here to keep </span>
  <em>
    <span>you</span>
  </em>
  <span> company.”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“I know, I’m sorry. I’ll make it up to you somehow,” Nico promised her. “Just let me go apologize to Jason and Piper, and then I’ll take you home, okay?” </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>With a huff, Hazel went back to cleaning, so Nico wandered further into the apartment, following the sound of quiet voices until he reached the kitchen. It looked like Jason and Piper had been packing up leftovers when Will came in, and despite how long it felt like Nico had been sitting outside alone, Will was still apologizing. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“So, really, it’s all my fault that Nico and I were gone for so long,” Will was saying, and Nico jumped back out of view before any of them realized he was there. “I should’ve been paying better attention to the time, so I’m sorry. I’ll make it up to you both somehow, I promise.” </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>There was a pause before Piper replied, “Promise to throw me the best bachelorette party the world has ever seen, and you’re forgiven.” </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Will laughed, and it made Nico’s skin sing. “You’ve got a deal.” </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Yeah, don’t worry about it, man,” Jason told him. “Just take care of yourself. I’m gonna go check on Nico, make sure he’s doing alright.” </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Nico hoped he didn’t look like he had been eavesdropping when he stepped into view with his arms crossed and said, “Talking about me when I’m not around?” </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Oh, hey,” Jason replied. “Will was just telling us that you were helping him down from a panic attack earlier. Are you doing okay after that?” </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Nico blinked a few times. So, Will </span>
  <em>
    <span>hadn’t</span>
  </em>
  <span> told them about…? “I’m fine,” he said in a rush when he realized that he’d been silent for too long. “Just a little, um. Drained. You know? I think Will and I both needed that time away to. Um. Breathe.”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Yeah, of course,” Jason replied. “I’m sorry. I thought that we’d cut down on the guest list enough that you would be okay, but I forgot that Will didn’t really know anybody here, so--” He shook his head. “You should take Hazel home and get some rest, don’t worry about helping us clean. It’s nothing that can’t be done in the morning.” He turned back to Will and said, “You too, man.”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Oh, I’m okay. I mean, </span>
  <em>
    <span>now,”</span>
  </em>
  <span> Will told him. “Really, I can help, it’s not a big deal.” </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Piper waved him off. “It’s fine, William. You can come back in the morning if you’re so desperate to help. Actually--” She looked to Jason, and the two seemed to have something of a telepathic conversation. “We should all meet up soon. You two can help us pick a venue, and whatever. It’ll give you two a chance to get to know Will a little better before the wedding.” </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Nico nearly choked on his own spit. “Uh, yeah. That sounds...great.” </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Jason rolled his eyes. “Okay, I get it. You’ve had enough human interaction for one day. Get out of here already. I’ll text you tomorrow.”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Nico nodded and waved to Piper, then tried for a smile when he said goodbye to Will, but he knew it didn’t meet his eyes. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“It was nice to meet you,” Will told him casually, yet it felt like an icicle through the heart.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Yeah,” Nico croaked, “you too.” </span>
</p>
  </div></div>
<a name="section0002"><h2>2. Chapter 2</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_head_notes"><b>Notes for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff"><p>takes place about two weeks after the engagement party</p></blockquote></div><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>
  <span>A new text in the group chat had Nico up too early on a weekend and all the way across town when he should’ve been working on his thesis paper. He should’ve known that being Jason’s best man would mean that wedding planning would eat up all of his free time, but he hadn’t thought it would happen so </span>
  <em>
    <span>soon.</span>
  </em>
  <span> The wedding was, like, nine months away, so why would they be in a flower shop picking out arrangements so soon?</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>It wasn’t that Nico minded hanging out with his best friend - quite the opposite, actually. He </span>
  <em>
    <span>was</span>
  </em>
  <span> a little worried about hanging out with his </span>
  <em>
    <span>fiance's</span>
  </em>
  <span> best friend.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Nico had met Will at the engagement party a little over two weeks ago, and after sharing a kiss on the sidewalk and deciding that neither of them were ready to jump into a relationship, the two had parted ways at the end of the night. They had both been moderately active in the wedding planning group chat, but aside from that, Nico hadn’t had any contact with Will. It was for the best, probably. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Will had had Nico’s heart racing within minutes of meeting him. Nico didn’t need to risk any cardiac episodes brought on by simply being in the same room as him. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>When Nico entered the flower shop that morning, he breathed a sigh of relief when he saw that Jason and Piper were the only customers inside. They were refreshing the memory of the theme they’d picked out - something with a lot of deep blues and greens that Nico thought would have been more fitting for Percy’s wedding than Piper’s - and set off around the shop in search of pre-made arrangements or color combinations that would suit their theme.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Nico had been biting his tongue to refrain from asking if Will was supposed to be there, and yet when the blond finally walked through the door, Nico almost ducked behind a display. Instead, Nico stared dumbly toward the door until Will spotted him and grinned, and Nico finally ducked his head.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Hey, sorry I’m late,” Will said. “I got a little lost, but I made it! So, catch me up?” </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Nico nodded toward the opposite side of the shop where Jason and Piper appeared to be arguing about red roses or pink, even though neither really meshed with their theme. “Piper has the planning binder with all the theme ideas. You should probably ask her.” </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“I remember the theme,” Will told him, his eyes scanning the display in front of him to at least make it </span>
  <em>
    <span>look</span>
  </em>
  <span> like he was doing what he was supposed to. “Forest-y greens and ocean-y blues, right?” He lifted his gaze when Piper raised her voice, and winced. “So, why are they arguing over </span>
  <em>
    <span>pink?”</span>
  </em>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Nico shrugged. “I’m doing my best to ignore them. I have a paper to write, so I’m kind of trying to get out of here.” </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“You know, I’m sure they would’ve let you skip this if you really needed to,” Will said. Nico watched as he leaned toward a small bouquet of yellows and oranges and sniffed the flowers. He looked away before Will could catch him staring. “They would understand.” </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“I know, but…” Nico huffed. “He’s my best friend. I can wake up a little early to help him pick out some flowers this one time if I have to.”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Will nodded. “Well, then let’s make this quick so you can head home. What are we looking for? Individual flowers or bouquets?” </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Piper said </span>
  <em>
    <span>arrangements,”</span>
  </em>
  <span> Nico answered. “I’m not really sure if that means </span>
  <em>
    <span>bouquets</span>
  </em>
  <span> or something else.” </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Will hummed and came to stand directly next to Nico, almost cornering him between the displays. “Isn’t an arrangement just, like, a big bouquet?” </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Nico felt himself tense and tried to step away, but ended up further back in the corner. “Will,” he said, trying to keep the pain out of his voice.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Will hummed again, lifting his eyes to meet Nico’s.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Don’t you think we should...look in different places?” Nico asked, almost pleadingly.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Finally, Will seemed to notice how close he was standing, and took a few steps away. “Sorry, is this better?” </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“I kinda meant more like…” Nico looked out at the mostly empty store, with he and Will packed into one corner and Piper and Jason tucked away in another.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Will tried for a smile, but even Nico could see the tension behind it, and he realized that Will had to have been feeling the same kind of awkwardness that Nico felt. Only, while Nico tried to run and hide from it, Will apparently wanted to fight through it. “I just thought this would be more fun with some company. Might make the time go by faster?” </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Are you sure that’s a good idea?” Nico said, and suppressed a wince at the sound of his own words. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Will shrugged, suddenly looking </span>
  <em>
    <span>very</span>
  </em>
  <span> interested in a cluster of tulips. “I was just hoping that we could maybe be friends.”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Nico sighed, wrapping his arms around his stomach protectively. “Will…” </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Look, Nico--” Will took half a step closer, then caught himself in the motion and held back. “I like you. I think I’ve made that pretty clear. And I know we agreed that we weren’t going to get romantically involved, but can’t we still be </span>
  <em>
    <span>friends?</span>
  </em>
  <span> I mean, we’re gonna be spending a lot of time together. Don’t you think that agreeing to be friends would just make this all easier?” </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Nico wanted to shout at him, </span>
  <em>
    <span>you think it’s </span>
  </em>
  <span>easy</span>
  <em>
    <span> for me to see your face and not want to kiss you?</span>
  </em>
  <span> but he held himself back. He tried to think of some way to let Will down easy, but anything he thought of saying just made him hurt more than he already did. So finally, he said, “Alright, fine. But can you at least try to keep your distance? Please?” </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Will nodded, and even moved into the next aisle over, smiling at Nico over the top of the shelves. He kept quiet as he started looking through the new arrangements, but after a few moments, Will asked, “So, do you have a favorite flower?” </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Nico felt another complaint build up inside of himself, but what came out instead was another, </span>
  <em>
    <span>“Will--”</span>
  </em>
  
</p>
<p>
  <span>“What?” Will asked innocently. “Friends know stuff about each other! Personally, I like sunflowers, because I think it’s cool that they can grow taller than me.” He paused, a hopeful look in his eyes and said, “So?” </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Nico took a deep breath and scanned his eyes across the display in front of him, finally settling on one bouquet and lifting it up for Will to see. “I like this one.” He pointed to a dark bluish-purple flower with curled petals each larger than his hand. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Will grinned. “What is it?” </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“I don’t know, I just think it looks cool.” </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Will’s eyes softened, and Nico felt his heart jump in his chest. He had to look away before he did something stupid. </span>
</p>
  </div><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_foot_notes"><b>Notes for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
          <p>thanks for reading!</p>
        </blockquote></div></div>
<a name="section0003"><h2>3. Chapter 3</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_head_notes"><b>Notes for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff"><p>takes place a few weeks before the cake tasting</p></blockquote></div><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>
  <span>After choosing a color theme, deciding on a venue was the main issue that forced the four of them to meet up. Between work and classes, they had limited opportunities to get together, which was how they wound up in a bar that was supposedly near Will’s apartment, all crammed into a booth and huddling around Piper’s laptop. The couple had apparently narrowed down their options so that they weren’t looking at every place in the entire city, but it certainly felt like they were.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>When Jason brought up for maybe the fifth time that they didn’t </span>
  <em>
    <span>need</span>
  </em>
  <span> a venue that could fit five hundred people, Piper pushed herself up from the table, claiming that she needed a break, and walked outside. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>With a groan, Jason dropped his head into his hands, his glasses finding their way up into his hair. “Why does this have to be so </span>
  <em>
    <span>hard?”</span>
  </em>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Nico tried for a comforting pat on the shoulder while across the table Will said, “Nobody ever said that planning a wedding was easy.” </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“I just don’t understand why we can never seem to agree on anything,” Jason continued. “Like, we decided on a color theme in, like, an hour, and I thought picking the flower arrangements went pretty well, but--”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“I seem to recall a </span>
  <em>
    <span>lot</span>
  </em>
  <span> of arguing over the flowers,” Nico pointed out, and then took a sip of his drink to prevent himself from saying anything else. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Okay, sure, it took a while, but we got there!” Jason pinched the bridge of his nose before pulling his glasses back down and dropping his hands on to the table, defeated. “I guess maybe I didn’t care as much about colors or whatever, but what the hell do we need such a big venue for? I mean, </span>
  <em>
    <span>five hundred</span>
  </em>
  <span> people? I don’t even think I know </span>
  <em>
    <span>one</span>
  </em>
  <span> hundred people, and a place that big </span>
  <em>
    <span>must</span>
  </em>
  <span> be expensive.” </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Will shrugged. “She’s got a big family, at least on her mom’s side. Maybe she’s just trying to make sure there’ll be space for everyone.” He reached out and covered one of Jason’s hands with his own, and Nico felt his own fingers twitch. “I can go check on her, if you want. Try to suss out if it’s just the venue she’s worried about, or if it’s something more.” </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Jason shook his head. “Thanks, but no. I’m the one marrying her, I should be the one trying to fix things. I’ll be right back.” He rose from the table and followed after his fiancee, leaving Nico and Will alone, across from each other in the booth. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Nico was debating slamming the rest of his drink just for an excuse to get up and go to the bar for another, but he still had some studying to do when he got home, and needed to keep a clear head. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Then, Will spoke. “So, um. How’s...things?” </span>
</p>
<p>
  <em>
    <span>“Things?”</span>
  </em>
  <span> Nico repeated, cracking a smile. “Care to be more specific?” </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Will shrugged, glancing out toward the bar. “You know. College, life, friends.” His eyes met Nico’s again. “You, mostly. Um. How are you?”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“I’m okay,” Nico answered. “I’m, uh. Good, actually.”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Will seemed to relax a little bit, and he started to smile. “Good. I mean, uh. That’s good. I’m also good. Your classes and everything, those are...good?” </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>He winced, and Nico laughed. “I told you that trying to be friends was gonna be weird.” </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“What’s weird?” Will replied, too quickly. “This is a totally normal conversation between friends. Friends like to know about each other’s lives and classes and whatever, and friends definitely use the word </span>
  <em>
    <span>good</span>
  </em>
  <span> too many times in a sentence.” He grinned. “So. What’s good?” </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Nico ducked his head to hide his growing smile. This wasn’t… Well, </span>
  <em>
    <span>this</span>
  </em>
  <span> wasn’t </span>
  <em>
    <span>good.</span>
  </em>
  <span> He couldn’t let himself try to flirt back, because nothing could happen between them for the foreseeable future. He either had to stop this now, or try to carry on with the blandest, most normal conversation in the world.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“If you must know, I have a test that I should be studying for right now,” Nico told him finally. “So while I’m having </span>
  <em>
    <span>so</span>
  </em>
  <span> much fun listening to Jason and Piper argue about churches and ballrooms and whatever else, I really have other things that I need to be doing.” </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Will set his chin in his hand. “You know, something else that friends do all the time is help each other study.” </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Nico frowned. “Will--”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“What? Are you telling me you’ve never hung out with a friend just to study?” Will asked.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Nico rolled his eyes. “Sure. A </span>
  <em>
    <span>friend.</span>
  </em>
  <span> A totally platonic friend, where neither party had any romantic interest in the other. I’ve studied with those kinds of friends before.”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Well, how do </span>
  <em>
    <span>you</span>
  </em>
  <span> know that they never had any romantic interest in you?” Will teased.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“I think I know when someone has a crush on me.”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“So you’re just </span>
  <em>
    <span>assuming</span>
  </em>
  <span> that I have a crush on you.” </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Nico’s jaw dropped. </span>
  <em>
    <span>“You kissed me.”</span>
  </em>
  <span> As soon as the words were out of his mouth, Nico regretted them, and especially the volume at which he said them. Jason and Piper still didn’t know that anything was going on between the two of them, and they could’ve been right around the corner. Besides, it was pretty obvious that the last thing he should’ve done to get Will to back off on the flirting was to mention the fact that they’d </span>
  <em>
    <span>kissed.</span>
  </em>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Okay, so you assumed correctly,” Will said with another shrug, leaning back against the booth. “Still, you can’t go around assuming you know how people feel about you. For example, sure, maybe I have a crush on you, and maybe you have a crush on me, too, but we’re also adults. We can still be friends, and I can still help you study for your test out of the goodness of my heart. </span>
  <em>
    <span>Damnit,</span>
  </em>
  <span> I said </span>
  <em>
    <span>good</span>
  </em>
  <span> again!” </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Nico grinned. “Alright, well, what use would I have for your medical knowledge when the test is in my anthropology class?”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“You have flashcards, don’t you?” Will asked, his head tipping to the side. “Every respectable college student studies with flashcards.” </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“So you must not, then.” </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Will pouted. “Someday, I’ll convince you to help me study, and on that day, you’re going to see my </span>
  <em>
    <span>extensive</span>
  </em>
  <span> collection of flashcards.” </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Nico grinned. “We’ll see about that.” </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Before Will could respond, Jason and Piper reappeared at the table, and Nico felt himself suddenly straighten up in his seat as he watched Will do the same. Neither half of the couple looked all that happy, but Piper opened up her laptop once more, and they got back to work.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Nico didn’t notice any more arguments about venue size, but he did catch Will’s eyes lingering on him more than a few times throughout the rest of the night. </span>
</p>
  </div><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_foot_notes"><b>Notes for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
          <p>thanks for reading!</p>
        </blockquote></div></div>
<a name="section0004"><h2>4. Chapter 4</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_head_notes"><b>Notes for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff"><p>takes place a few weeks after the cake tasting (this is my favorite bonus scene)</p></blockquote></div><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>
  <span>There was no use in hiding his feelings. Nico knew that by now. After the cake tasting and going out to dinner with Will, there wasn’t anything that could keep him from spending time with the other man, whether it was a good idea or not. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Still, he was going to keep his pinky promise, if only because he also knew that it would hurt less if they had to break things off later if nothing had ever really happened between them to begin with. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>But a pinky promise wasn’t going to stop them from texting each other at every available opportunity. Will typically wouldn’t respond until later in the day due to his classes, but Nico had no problems with texting under his desk during a lecture. Really, he should have paid more attention in his classes, though, since he realized he hardly knew anything for the upcoming test. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>He remembered one of the older texts he’d gotten from Will: </span>
  <em>
    <span>somebody you’ll need my studying expertise, and I won’t be around to help because you’ve mocked me one too many times.</span>
  </em>
  
</p>
<p>
  <span>Nico fired off his own text without letting himself think too much about it: </span>
  <em>
    <span>you still wanna flaunt your flashcards in my face, loverboy?</span>
  </em>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Will replied almost instantly, with </span>
  <em>
    <span>is that an invitation?</span>
  </em>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Nico invited him over to study that following Saturday, and when the time finally came for Will to arrive, Nico started panicking. He tried to clean as quickly as possible, having put it off until the last minute, and stood in front of his open closet to figure out what he should wear before he remembered that it wasn’t a date. He and Will were...just friends. Nico didn’t need to look nice just to study with a friend. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>When Will knocked a few moments later, Nico opened the door, still in his pajamas - a combination of sweatpants and an old t-shirt. Will gave him that usual blindly beautiful smile and held something out in his hand. It was one of those bluish-purple flowers that Nico had pointed out in the flower shop over a month ago.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“What’s this?” Nico asked with a raised eyebrow. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“A gift,” Will answered. “Don’t give me that look. Friends give each other gifts all the time. I just happened to pass by a flower shop on my way here, and I remembered you pointing out that you liked this flower because it looked cool. It’s a lily, by the way, and it does look very cool. Are you going to take it? Or let me in?”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Nico leaned against the door frame and crossed his arms. “I dunno if I should. I mean, bringing a flower over to my apartment? That sounds pretty romantic.”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Will took a step closer and picked Nico’s hand up off his own elbow, wrapping Nico’s fingers around the flower’s stem, and then closing both of his own hands around Nico’s. “Nico, dear, I assure you this is a totally platonic gift. Look, I’m willing to look past your massive crush on me for the sake of our friendship, so would you please let me in so I can woo you with my hundreds of flashcards?”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Nico tugged him into the apartment and kicked the door shut quietly. “Oh, </span>
  <em>
    <span>my</span>
  </em>
  <span> massive crush? Let’s talk about </span>
  <em>
    <span>your</span>
  </em>
  <span> massive crush.”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Will kicked off his shoes and followed Nico further into the apartment. “I don’t know what you’re talking about.”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Nico started into the kitchen with his flower in hand while Will followed close behind. “Let’s see, there’s the time when you bought me ice cream, the fact that you flirt with me almost constantly, and, oh yeah--” Nico pulled a glass down from the cabinet and filled it with water, setting the flower inside, “--the fact that you remembered the </span>
  <em>
    <span>one</span>
  </em>
  <span> flower that I chose out of </span>
  <em>
    <span>hundreds,</span>
  </em>
  <span> and then bought it for me.” </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Nico spun around to find Will behind him, not quite cornering him against the counters, but causing Nico’s breath to catch at their proximity. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“You forgot about the time that I kissed you,” Will reminded him.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“I didn’t.”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“You didn’t mention it.”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“I didn’t think I had to.” Will leaned one hip against the counter and leaned in a few millimeters closer. “Will?” Nico said, his voice almost a whisper.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Yes, dear?” </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“We’ve talked about the </span>
  <em>
    <span>personal space</span>
  </em>
  <span> thing.” </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Right,” Will said, suddenly coming back to himself and shuffling back a few steps. “Sorry.” </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Nico held the makeshift flower vase in one hand and reached for Will’s wrist with the other, pulling him out of the kitchen and into the living room. Nico set the flower on the coffee table before sitting on the opposite end of the couch from Will, and said, “So. Flashcards.” </span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>Most of the day passed with studying. Will helped Nico make up flashcards that weren’t just vocabulary and definitions, but important dates and places of events. Nico quizzed Will a few times on his own hefty stack of flashcards, and after a while, they kept each other silent company while they worked on readings and research and papers individually. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Nico had a habit of staring off into space while he formed sentences in his head, and happened to wind up watching Will for a few minutes as he read from his medical textbook. Will tended to forget where he put his highlighters immediately after he set them down, which resulted in him searching frantically for markers that were either tucked behind his ear or that had rolled onto the floor. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>After the third or fourth time that it had happened, Will caught Nico laughing at him. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“It’s rude to make fun of people,” Will pointed out as he quickly highlighted a sentence from his textbook in pink.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Who says I’m making fun of you?” Nico asked. “Maybe I just remembered a joke.” </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Oh yeah? What was it?” </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Nico grinned. “You’ve probably heard it before. It’s about a guy who keeps losing things as soon as he puts them down.” </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Will frowned and tossed one of his highlighters into Nico’s chest.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Careful!” Nico said around a laugh. “You’ll forget where it went!” </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“You wouldn’t find it funny if </span>
  <em>
    <span>I</span>
  </em>
  <span> started picking on </span>
  <em>
    <span>you,”</span>
  </em>
  <span> Will told him, his frown melting into a pout. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“I’d like to see you try,” Nico taunted. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Will eyed him from head to toe, as if searching for something to make fun of. “You’ve been here all day and you couldn’t even change out of your pajamas for our study date?” </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Nico rolled his eyes. “That’s the best you’ve got? Besides, we’re </span>
  <em>
    <span>studying.</span>
  </em>
  <span> It’s not a </span>
  <em>
    <span>date.”</span>
  </em>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Yes, dear.” </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Nico tossed the highlighter back. It bounced off Will’s cheek. “You keep doing that.”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“What?” </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Calling me </span>
  <em>
    <span>dear,”</span>
  </em>
  <span> Nico told him. “Like we’re an old married couple, or something.” </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Will’s smile was soft, and he didn’t raise his eyes off his textbook as he replied, “It’s a nickname. Friends give each other nicknames all the time.” </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Nico smiled and rolled his eyes. “Alright, fine, </span>
  <em>
    <span>loverboy. </span>
  </em>
  <span>What do you say we order a pizza or something, and when it gets here, we can call it a day with the studying?” </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Will perked up, his smile brightening at the thought of staying past the end of their study session. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>They ordered their pizza, and ceased studying when it arrived about half an hour later. They settled back on the couch closer than they were before with plates in their laps and a movie starting on the TV. Nico would admit that he wasn’t paying very close attention to the movie, more conscious of Will’s warmth so close beside him.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>At some point, likely near the end of the movie and sometime after they’d both finished their pizza, Nico heard Will sniffling beside him and looked over to see tears welling up in his eyes. He didn’t say anything, but Will noticed him staring, and shoved at his shoulder, muttering, “Shut up, I’m an empathetic crier.” </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Nico hid his smile by wrapping an arm around Will’s shoulders and pulling him against his side, guiding Will’s head onto his shoulder and running his fingers through Will’s hair.</span>
</p>
  </div></div>
<a name="section0005"><h2>5. Chapter 5</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_head_notes"><b>Notes for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff"><p>takes place the day before jason crashes at nico's apartment</p></blockquote></div><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>
  <span>Nico was dragged away from his homework in the middle of midterms week, and couldn’t help but think that Jason and Piper could’ve tried to plan a little better if they really were so adamant about having Nico and Will help them with things. Like, did they really need three people stuffing envelopes with ‘save the date’ cards? Wasn’t that something that Jason and Piper could do on their own time, so that Nico could get back to studying?</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Will had been lucky enough to get out of it due to his own test-heavy week, but Nico couldn’t help feeling disappointed at his absence - not even in a </span>
  <em>
    <span>if I have to suffer then so do you</span>
  </em>
  <span> kind of a way. Mostly. So while Will couldn’t make it due to an extended testing period that overlapped with the time that he was supposed to be stuffing envelopes, that didn’t mean Nico had to enjoy sitting there with the “happy couple.”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>It was mostly brainless work, but Nico still wasn’t paying much attention to whatever conversation Piper was trying to carry. He just kept waiting for a text from Will that finally announced the end of his test. (Even worse, Will was the type to stay until the very last minute to double and triple check every answer, instead of booking it out of there the second he was done, like Nico did.)</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>He heard Jason ask for a new pack of envelopes, but Piper didn’t even pause in her story about...her coworkers, maybe? Nico really wasn’t listening. But seeing as she didn’t seem interested in offering Jason any assistance, Nico reached across the table and slid an unopened pack to his friend. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“So, Nico,” Piper said, finally drawing his attention with the use of his name, “how are your classes this semester?” </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Nico shrugged, licked another envelope closed, and set it on the </span>
  <em>
    <span>done</span>
  </em>
  <span> pile before answering, “You know. The same. It’s midterms, so I should kind of be studying right now.” </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Yeah, sorry we dragged you over here,” Jason told him, patting his shoulder a couple times. “We’ll try to be quick about--”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“That’s what Will’s up to right now, right?” Piper asked, talking over Jason like she hadn’t even realized he’d been speaking. “He’s taking a midterm right now, I think. That’s what he told me, anyway. Maybe he hadn’t mentioned it to you, I don’t know. Are you two getting along? I know we kind of pushed you two together to help with the wedding stuff, but I hope you’re at least friends by now.” </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Nico blinked a few times, eyeing the way that Jason almost ripped an envelope apart from the force with which he stuffed the card inside, and then looked back to Piper. It was so unlike her to dominate a conversation like that - she was usually a little more easy going, especially with something as boring as smalltalk. “Um. Yeah, we’re...friends. He was actually going to text me when he’s done with his test, because we were going to try bouncing bachelor and bachelorette party ideas off of each other. So, I guess if either of you had anything in mind, now might be the time to say it.” </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>He slipped his phone out of his pocket to start jotting down notes for whatever Jason and Piper mentioned, but his phone buzzed in his hand, and his mind went blank. Will was finally out of his exam. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <em>
    <span>[From: Will; Finally free!]</span>
  </em>
</p>
<p>
  <em>
    <span>[To: Will; how did it go?]</span>
  </em>
</p>
<p>
  <em>
    <span>[From: Will; I think I did pretty good! It helps that I had such a great study partner ;) ]</span>
  </em>
</p>
<p>
  <em>
    <span>[From: Will; How’s stuffing envelopes? Wish I was there]</span>
  </em>
</p>
<p>
  <em>
    <span>[To: Will; no you don’t its SO boring. and really tense for some reason? idk piper’s acting a little weird but its fine]</span>
  </em>
</p>
<p>
  <em>
    <span>[From: Will; So you don’t wish I was there with you? :( ]</span>
  </em>
</p>
<p>
  <em>
    <span>[To: Will; I didn’t say that]</span>
  </em>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Nico?” Piper called out to him, and Nico nearly slammed his phone down onto the table like he’d gotten caught doing something he shouldn’t. “Were you listening?” </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>He nodded quickly. “Yeah, sorry, it’s just-- Will just texted. He says his test went well. Sorry, what were you saying?” Nico went back to half-listening while he stuffed envelopes until his phone buzzed again and he opened the notification to see another text from Will. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <em>
    <span>[From: Will; So did you actually want to talk bachelor party ideas, or was that just a ploy to make it seem like we’re actually planning something?]</span>
  </em>
</p>
<p>
  <em>
    <span>[To: Will; they’re giving me ideas right now]</span>
  </em>
</p>
<p>
  <em>
    <span>[From: Will; Oh? Like what?]</span>
  </em>
</p>
<p>
  <em>
    <span>[To: Will; idk im not listening]</span>
  </em>
</p>
<p>
  <em>
    <span>[From: Will; Why not???]</span>
  </em>
</p>
<p>
  <em>
    <span>[To: Will; bc im talking to you??]</span>
  </em>
</p>
<p>
  <em>
    <span>[From: Will; I promised Piper the best bachelorette party in the world, so either start listening or I’m turning my phone off]</span>
  </em>
</p>
<p>
  <em>
    <span>[To: Will; ok ok im listening]</span>
  </em>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Unfortunately, Nico’s decision to start listening coincided with the moment that Piper apparently decided to stop talking. Nico tapped his foot impatiently on the ground as he stuffed a few more envelopes, then finally blurted out, “Will wants to know your stance on strippers.”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Jason and Piper both shot him an odd look. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“For the parties,” Nico added. “Obviously.” </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Jason glanced at Piper, either as if to ask permission or to say </span>
  <em>
    <span>you’re not going to get strippers, are you?</span>
  </em>
  <span> She kept her gaze on the table and replied, “I think I’m just gonna talk to Will about what I want when we hang out this weekend.” </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Jason cleared his throat. “Uh, yeah. Maybe that’s a conversation we should have in private, too.”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Nico was halfway to thinking </span>
  <em>
    <span>what the hell do you people want at your parties?</span>
  </em>
  <span> when his phone buzzed again.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <em>
    <span>[From: Will; Well?]</span>
  </em>
</p>
<p>
  <em>
    <span>[To: Will; i think jason wants strippers at his and i swear will if i have to go to a party where there are female strippers i think i might die]</span>
  </em>
</p>
<p>
  <em>
    <span>[From: Will; And Piper?]</span>
  </em>
</p>
<p>
  <em>
    <span>[To: Will; didn’t say but i think youre missing the point here]</span>
  </em>
</p>
<p>
  <em>
    <span>[From: Will; If Piper requested male strippers, would you be there to keep me company?]</span>
  </em>
</p>
<p>
  <em>
    <span>[To: Will; i think i would actually prefer if nobody had strippers at their party. but thats just me]</span>
  </em>
</p>
<p>
  <em>
    <span>[To: Will; if jason requires it then im hereby forcing you to attend so that i can hide in another room and you can take over best man responsibilities for the time being]</span>
  </em>
</p>
<p>
  <em>
    <span>[From: Will; I’d be happy to be there to keep you company either way :) ]</span>
  </em>
</p>
  </div><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_foot_notes"><b>Notes for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
          <p>thanks for reading!!</p>
        </blockquote><b>Author's Note:</b><blockquote class="userstuff"><p>thanks for reading!! no i will not be writing a sequel to waiting with you</p></blockquote></div></div>
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